United States Fourteenth Amendment & The Civil Rights Act of 1866

An amendment to the Constitution of the United States that granted citizenship and equal rights, both civil and legal, to Black Americans, including those who had been emancipated by the thirteenth amendment.

Senate Committee of the Whole

The Committee Secretary's View The Committee Secretary's View

To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.

Document introduced in:

Session 5692: 1866-05-23 00:00:00

The Senate considers H. Res. 127 in Committee of the Whole

Document View (with components):

H. Res. 127

Shown with amendment 'None' (e897091)

(Showing state at moment e898774)
There are 6 proposed amendments related to this document on which decisions have not been taken.

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of both houses concurring,) That the following article be proposed to the legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said legislatures, shall be valid as part of the Constitution, namely:

ARTICLE —.

SEC. 1. All persons born [+e897139]or naturalized [+e898770]in the United States[+e897139],[+e898285] and subject to the jurisdiction thereof[+e897139],[+e898285] are citizens of the United States and of the State[+e897139]s[+e897139 -e898285] wherein they reside. [+e897139]No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

SEC. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union[-e898525] according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, [-e898701]excluding Indians not taxed. But whfo[+e898701]enever[-e898701]the[+e898525 -e898701] right[+e898525]choice of electors for President[+e898701] to vote at [+e898525 -e898701]any[+e898525] i[-e898525]Vice President[+e898701]n an[-e898701]y State th[-e898525]e electon hel[+e898525]Representatives in C[+e898701]d[+e898525]ng[+e898701] [+e898525]ess, the executive and judicial officers[+e898701]under[+e898525] t[+e898525 -e898701]he Con[+e898525], or the members of the Legislature thereof[+e898701]stitution and laws of the U[+e898525]ive franchise shall be d[-e898525]ent[+e898525]iedS[+e898525] ates, [+e898525]tr of[+e898525]o anyState, is denied to any[+e898525] portio[-e898525]n ofthe[+e898525] it[-e898525]s maleinhabitants[+e898327], being [+e898327 -e898525] citizen[-e898525] of [+e898327]such[+e898525]the United[+e898327 -e898525] State[+e898327]s[+e898327 -e898525],[+e898327]sbeing[+e898525] not less tha[-e898525]n twenty-one years of ag and citizens of the United States[+e898525]e, or in any way abridged[-e898525], except for participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of representationthere[+e898525] in such State [-e898525]shall be reduced in the proportion which the number ofsuch [+e898525] male citizens shall bear to the whole number of such[-e898525] male citizens not less tha[-e898525]n twenty-one years of ag in such State[+e898330]e.

SEC. 3. [-e897111]N[+e897090]That n[+e897070 -e897090]o person shall be a Senator or Represen[+e897070]tati[+e897070 -e897111]ve in Congress or permitted to hold any office under the Government of[+e897070]Until the f[-e897070]ourth[-e897111] day of July, in the year one tho[-e897070]usan[-e897111]d eigh[-e897070]t h[-e897111]u[-e897070]nd[-e897111]re[-e897070]d [-e897111]and[-e897070] seve[-e897111]nty, all[-e897070] persons[-e897111] who voluntarily adhered[-e897070] to [-e897111]the United States[+e897070] who,[+e897070 -e897111] ha[+e897070]3.[+e897145]N[+e898420]That n[+e898317 -e898420] [+e897145 -e898317]No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or[+e897145] an[+e897145 -e898317] elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oat[+e897145],[+e898317]h as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall h[+e897145]validity [+e898764]a[+e897145]f the pu[+e898764]ve [+e897145]c debt[+e898764]engaged[+e897145 -e898764] in insurrection or r[+e897145], authoriz[+e898764]ebellio[+e897145 -e898764]n a[+e897145]by law, [+e898764]ga[+e897145]clud[+e898764]inst the [+e897145 -e898764]same[+e897145]debts [+e898764], [+e897145]c[+e898764]o[+e897145 -e898764]r gi[+e897145]d for payment[+e898764]ven aid or comfort t[+e897145 -e898764]o th[+e897145]pensions and[+e898764]e enemies thereo[+e897145 -e898764]. B[+e898317 -e898764]f; but Co[+e897145 -e898764]ngress may[+e897145]f[+e898764], b[+e897145]services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion[+e898764]y a vote of two thirds of[+e897145 -e898764] each Ho[+e897145]not be questioned. But n[+e898764]use, remove such disability. [+e897145 -e898764]

[+e897145]

SEC. [+e897145]lat[-e897070]The obligations of the United States incurred in suppressing insurrection, or in defense of the Union, o[+e897148]r[+e897148 -e898764] f[+e897148]o[+e897148 -e898764]r payment of bount[+e897148]ies or p[+e897148 -e898765]ensions incident thereto,[+e897148]for[+e898764] shall remain[+e897148 -e898764] inviolate. [+e897148]

[+e897148]

SEC. [+e897148]5[+e897149]4[+e897148 -e897149]. [+e897148]e insurre[-e897070]ction, giving [-e897111]prev[+e897070 -e897111]iously taken an oath to support[+e897070]it[-e897070] aid and c[-e897111]omfort, shall[-e897070] be excl[-e897149]uded fro[-e897070]m the [-e897149]Con[+e897070 -e897149]5[+e898764]s[+e897070 -e898764]titution thereof, shall hav[+e897070 -e897149]e voluntarily engaged[+e897070]rig[-e897070][[+e897149]on account of[+e898413]ht[-e898413]] rebellion[+e897149 -e898413] to vot[-e898413]e for representatives[-e897070] in any insurrection [+e897070]Congress and for ele[-e897070]the [+e897149]ctors [-e897070]r emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall b[+e897149]for Pre[-e897149]bellion[+e897070 -e897149]sident[-e897149] af[+e897149]ga[+e897070]ever held illegal and void[+e897149]i[+e897070 -e897149]nd Vi[-e897149]ce Pre[-e897070]side[-e897070]6[+e897149]n[-e897149]t of[-e897070] the United States, or given aid or comfort thereto[+e897070].

SEC. 4. Neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation already incurred, or which may hereafter be incurred, in aid of insurrection or of war against the United States, or any claim for compensation for loss of involuntary service or labor.

SEC. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article.

Decisions yet to be taken

Document Timeline

Other Actions